Identifying Effective Factors in the Electronic Prescribing System of Pharmacies from the Point of view of Selected Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Technicians in Urmia

Introduction: The emergence of electronic prescriptions has transformed the methods of prescribing and distributing medications in pharmacies. The aim of this study is to explain the factors affecting workflow, patient communication, and medication safety within the electronic prescription system from the perspectives of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Method: This research is a descriptive and cross-sectional study conducted in 2023 in selected pharmacies in the city of Urmia. It was carried out in two stages. In the first stage, relevant studies were systematically reviewed and selected based on entry criteria to identify the influencing factors. In the second stage, the two-stage Delphi method was used with purposive and snowball sampling to finalize the identified factors. Results: The results of this study consisted of two stages. In the first stage, the factors affecting workflow, patient communication, and medication safety in pharmacies within the electronic prescription system were identified. In the second stage, the validity of the factors identified in the first stage was determined using a two-stage Delphi method. After two rounds of Delphi, 11 items related to workflow variables, 6 items for patient communication, and 11 items for medication safety were confirmed. Conclusion: This study has identified the factors that can be utilized by health policymakers and developers of electronic prescription systems to improve efficiency and serve as a framework for formulating both long-term and short-term plans.